C’s Story: A Patient Blogs About Her Tummy Tuck
I’m 23 and single. Dr. Gelman did my tummy tuck 4 months ago. I thought about it for nearly 2 years because I had a lot of extra baggy skin in my abdominal area and I hated it. I was heavy when I was younger and a few years ago I managed to lose 75 pounds and keep it off. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the weight loss left me with loose sagging skin and I felt so self-conscious about it. I had a 23 year old body and an old woman’s belly. Not good! I had to do something about it because I was so sick of worrying and thinking about it, scared of exposing that part of my body and always trying to cover up.
Researching the procedure
I went online almost every day and read what other women had to say about tummy tucks and what their experiences were like. That’s how I found Dr. Gelman. I looked at before-and-after pictures of women around my age and told myself, “I could look like this or like that if I get a tummy tuck.” There’s no way exercise can tighten up stretched out skin and that got clear to me after I tried so hard and it didn’t work.
Making a Choice
I decided to go with Dr. Gelman because he has so much experience doing tummy tucks, he made me feel comfortable and he was very honest with me. Like, he told me to stop smoking, while two other doctors said it was ok if I continued to smoke even if I was getting ready to have cosmetic surgery. Dr. Gelman made it clear that I needed to take care of myself and he didn’t make me feel bad about myself. That meant something to me.
I also felt good about my decision because friends of mine have had tummy tucks, liposuction, mommy makeovers and I know women who have had breast reductions, too. I see that they have gotten the bodies they want to have and I wanted to feel that way about my body, too. The funny thing is that after my consult with Dr. Gelman, I found out my aunt had gone to him for cosmetic surgery a few years ago. She looks fantastic since she had her facelift, but I didn’t know which doctor she had gone to. She was thrilled that I was going to have him do my tummy tuck because she got a good result and friends of hers who’ve gone to him have, too.
You’re paying how much?!
A few of my friends questioned the price but had to admit that if they had the money, they’d fix what bothered them. I knew it would cost between $5000 and $6000 and I had $10,000. I saved up the money and it was worth it. Anyway, I scheduled the procedure and it went well. I wasn’t sure what to expect afterwards, but even during the first few days after surgery I have to say I was feeling much happier about my body. Once I was up and back to my normal routine, I also found out how much fun shopping can be! [laughter] I can wear things I would never even let myself look at before – form fitting tops, skinny belts, low rise jeans…clothes that show off my new flat belly.
Patience Through Recovery
Recovering from a tummy tuck does take patience. It takes a couple of months to fully heal, and I thought I’d be up and doing everything within a week or two because I’m young and healthy. I had to get my expectations in line with reality. Once I did that, it became exciting to see the positive changes in my body and to know that soon I would be looking the way I’ve wanted to look for so many years. I want to tell other women or men who are considering cosmetic surgery that Dr. Gelman and his staff were really good to me. For instance, Laura (the patient coordinator who watched over me before, during, and after surgery) gave me a big hug before I went into surgery. That meant a lot to me. Everyone in the office was nice and I got the impression that they know it’s a big deal for each patient even though Dr. Gelman does these procedures all the time. Somehow they seem to remember that for each patient, it’s the first time. They go out of their way to put you at ease.
Did it change your life?
My lifestyle changed after the procedure. My eating habits have changed for the better. I’m more careful about what I eat now and I’m motivated to work out because I like my new body and want to keep it looking as good as possible. Overall, I’m just living a more healthy life.
Advice for Patients
I hope my story makes it easier for others to go ahead and fix what they can’t fix on their own with diet and exercise. My advice to them is to really pick a doctor carefully. Don’t just settle for the first one you see or the one whose prices are the lowest. It’s your body you’re talking about! And take someone with you to your consult if you feel comfortable doing that so you can discuss it afterwards. Pick a doctor who listens to you and who gives you time to ask your questions…in other words, someone who treats you like you matter. For me, that made all the difference.
